Surprise Surprise guys, this is a big news. Something that has been discussed for ages here in BC and approved and supported. Mushfique might open in the first ODI tomorrow and leave the space open for Farhad to come into the squad. With Mashrafe set to be missing the first ODI Shahadat is the automatic choice for the opening bowler.

This is the team that is almost going to play tomorrow, with this batting order (our main concern)

I will miss Mashrafe the batsmen and the bowler dearly. But can this be a good thing? We have now a surprise element with Mushfique opening, farhad batting lower down the order and adding strength with the bowling, and shahadat's aggressie tearaway bowling? Let's wait for tomorrow.

First ODI Today
Tigers set to miss Mashrafe
Sports Reporter

The injury of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is set to force Bangladesh to think about a new combination when they launch the one-day series against India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.The match, which starts at 9.30am, will be telecast live by Bangladesh Television and satellite channel NEO Sports.
Mashrafe, hero of the Tigers' two victories against India -- at home in 2004 and in their latest clash in the World Cup in March -- is unlikely to start due to a backpain that kept him away from training on the eve of the opener of the three-match series.
Dubbed Narail Express, Mashrafe was not only inspirational in both the wins but also bagged the man-of-the-match awards in both Dhaka and Port of Spain, Trinidad.
The team management, hopeful of a dramatic improvement of the pace spearhead, decided to delay the announcement of the final 12 till the morning. Sources, however, confirmed that the strike bowler -- whose four-wicket burst virtually knocked India out of the World Cup -- would not be risked for the sake of the whole series also involving two Tests.
Firebrand Shahadat Hossain, the quickest bowler in the country, is expected to take the new ball in the absence of Mashrafe, the highest ODI wicket-taker in the last calendar year.
One more change is expected from the eleven used regularly in the World Cup as the think-tank, having little faith in out-of-form openers Shahriar Nafees and Javed Omar, is looking forward to promote wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim from the middle-order to the opening slot beside Tamim Iqbal. This ploy if used might make way for all-rounder Forhad Reza as cover for Mashrafe and add variety to the attack, which will mostly depend on the spin-trio.
A shoulder injury also dented Manoj Tiwari's chances to make his India debut as the promising top-order batsman from Bengal has been ruled out of the series and sent home. Piyush Chawla and RP Singh also did not figure in India's twelve.
For India, although the team management and captain Rahul Dravid have repeatedly denied the notion, it would be a grudge series as they try to re-establish their 'big brother' image after the World Cup debacle following that five-wicket loss to Habibul Bashar's men.
With the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly reserved only for the Test matches, the mighty Indians will have to think about Bangladesh on even terms for the first time, at least before the first ball is bowled.

Will also like to add my dream team (almost coming into reality, two or three steps closer atleast)

Tamim
Mushfique/Junaed
Aftab
Sakib
Ashraful
Nadif/Raqibul/Mahamudullah (the most promising academy/u-19 middle order batsmen)
Farhad / Milon (he can get into the allrounder's position in the future)
Mashrafe
Razzak
Russel
Shahadat

With a bowling line up of:
Mashrafe
Russel
Shahadat
Razzak
Sakib
Farhad
Ash/Aftab/Nadif-if he can correct his medium pace action

No Rafique because he is almost retiring and we need a long term solution keeping the next world cup as the target.

Since this is the last series for the coach and Bashar I don't think there will be any stones left unturned. Now only if we could let Habibul Bashar warm the bench and let Sadat/mehrab Jr. play. We would have 4 SLAs and Rasel (close to SLA) + Farhad, Aftab, Shahadat/Mash. lots of variety for Ash to choose from.

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The Weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the Strong." - Ghandi.

I like the team. i will tell you this much... if this team clicks we will win. However, if it doesn't click, whole team will flopp... so either get ready for 250 plus score or less than 100 score. Nothing in between.... sound like a challenge huh!!!

Shahadat's clearly not regarded to be as effective as Mashrafee, and thats why Farhad gets the nod to pick up the slack how ever needed. But after Bashar's retired, Farhad should be a regular in the ODI team.

if we had mash in place of shahadat....that (first post) would be a winning team I feel....

It will be really hard to think about a win without Mashrafee's early wickets... Most of our wins are kinda scripted, mashrafee gets early wickets, and the spinner put pressure on run rate.... then one batsman rise up (tamim, ash etc) with rest giving handy contributions...(aftab, mashrafee).

Originally Posted by Orpheus
if we had mash in place of shahadat....that (first post) would be a winning team I feel....

It will be really hard to think about a win without Mashrafee's early wickets... Most of our wins are kinda scripted, mashrafee gets early wickets, and the spinner put pressure on run rate.... then one batsman rise up (tamim, ash etc) with rest giving handy contributions...(aftab, mashrafee).

Losing Mash automatically means we lose a big threat upfront with the ball and some potential quick runs towards the end. To negate that, we have to strengthen our batting, and Reza should come in. His batting is a big plus at no.7 ( with power ) and if he can give a break to Shahdat for a few overs, it won't be a bad deal for us under the circumstances. The value of Mushfique in the one day team is much greater than we realize, nonwithstanding his keeping , though it will improve with time . He has flexibility and he has already showed that he can bat correctly at the very top of the order. With Mashud we would not be able to play Reza as cover and also JO would have opened. Lets hope for a quick recovery for Masrafee.

not a bad idea...in the absence of mash, mushy opening and farhad in the team is a must (to keep JO out). i would really have played SN however, he's bound to strike form. i really hope TI can score quickfire 30s and 1 50 in the series, mushy will hold things down with a low SR - i don't mind that - unlike JO he has technique and can accelerate when he's settled.

farhad's batting is a boon at 7, but his bowling is suspect. if he bowl with an econ of 5, still i'd take him.

i have faith in shahadat, and hope he keeps his econ down to around 5 and takes a couple top order wickets. figures of 2 or 3 for 55 would not be bad from rajib at all - he is a tearaway at heart, if not in real pace - and lee, shobby, tait, etc are not known for their tidy bowling spells.